My Semi Perfect Universe
by JimJamFan
Summary: When Cindy and Jimmy can't stop fighting, the rest of their lives depend on them being able to agree. But what happens when Jimmy takes her back to the island, how will it effect their getting along? And how will it affect Cindy? J/C COMPLETE!
1. My Semi Perfect Universe

-My Semi Perfect Universe-

A/N: When everyone is 17! Cindy's POV

Once upon a time, in a magical land of ponies and pixies and faeries called Texas… all heck broke loose.

It was a regular day in Retroville, well for the locals anyway. Neutron and I had gotten into another argument. This time it was literally about nothing… we just ran out of stuff to argue about because Libby came up with this master plan to record all of our debate topics and if we use the same one twice she'd make me pay later. Here is how it went…

"NEUTRON! Have you completely gone insane?!"

"You are so clueless, Vortex!"

"I'm clueless I'm surprised you aren't floating away you're head is so full of hot air!"

"You always have to bring up my head don't you?!"

"How could I not – its just aching to be made fun of"

"Yeah real mature Vortex, do you always act on your impulses or just ones you know you'll regret later?"

"Why don't you just suck it up and admit I'm right! Tomatoes are fruits!"

"Why should I admit that? Cowboys aren't even real; they are complete works of fiction!! I can prove it; I'll go get my time booth and I'll take you back in time where you will find no cowboys just people."

"Then how do you explain the seeds? If a tomato was a vegetable it wouldn't have them!!"

Libby looks at her list and writes down "cowboys vs. tomatoes" then checks it off. Carl and Sheen seem to be enjoying the dispute and yet confused by it. Jimmy finally can't take the ridiculous fight and breaks down laughing as the vein on his neck stops pulsing so perversely. I can't keep a straight face when I see his smile so I start cracking up too.

So here we are. Me and Nerdtron rolling on the park grass laughing our butts off. I didn't think it could get much weirder. Neither did the innocent people of town that were seriously worried about our mental stability. Eventually I give into their suspicions and do something I might regret doing later, 'accidentally' bumping into Neutron.

"ha hah haa ha ha-ha… Ne- ha hah- utron! Stop laughing! Haa ha-ha ha haa ha!"

I roll over on my stomach, not knowing where Jimmy even is, and accidentally – genuinely accidentally – land _on top_ of him. He immediately stops laughing, so do I as I prop myself up.

"Um, sorry, I was trying to get up… and…" "It happens" "and… well… you were in my way… _Neutron_" I hiss.

I try to cover up my embarrassment by another argument, but just run home instead. I had gotten no where but… I WAS ON TOP OF NEUTRON!! YAY!

The next day Libs walks up to me in the halls of our school and leans on my locker "what up with you and neutron yesterday? You guys freaked us out – then after you bailed Jimmy acted like a complete fool"

I just shrug and close my locker "it beats me- I don't even remember yesterday at all, I think we were arguing about tomatoes being a fruit or a vegetable." I say. She shakes her head "girl you were arguing over whether it was a fruit, and Jimmy was say that cowboys weren't real. It was unnatural."

"Those topics aren't even the least bit related – why were we even arguing about them?" I ask bewildered at the thought of it. Jimmy walks up to us "What to you mean they aren't related? It is a completely controversial topic – also universal – you could easily make a connection." He says matter-of-factly, putting his eye up to his retina-scanner. I roll my eyes, who does he think he is with his 'universal topics'?

"Oh really, Nerdtron? Please, enlighten" "wel-" "Explain to me how your head is so inflated that you think a cowboy can be related to a fruit"

"Vortex, don't even give me that!! You know that the concepts are the point of relation – not the actual object." he says taking his books out.

"Neutron a fruit being a vegetable has no relation to a fictional character being in literal existence in time." I say.

"Yes it can"

"No, it can't"

"YES IT CAN"

"NO IT CAN'T"

"YES IT CAN"

"N – " "SHUT UP YOU TWO!!"

Libby cuts in between us and pushes us apart "I made that list to _stop_ your fighting not increase the pointlessness of it!! Now will you shut up about your fruits and your relativity and listen to yourselves for five seconds!! YOU SOUND RIDICULOUS!!"

I look at the floor; Jimmy does the same as Libby chews us out. "NOW! I suggest we get to class and if I hear one more word about any tomatoes or cowboys from any of you – heads are going to roll!!" she says walking in the direction of class.

We follow her back into our 12th grade classroom reluctantly and all eyes land on us. Libby keeps her composure but I seriously couldn't handle the stress of having all these people staring.

I glare back at them and they all return to their daily lives, I hate nosey people. Jimmy chuckles at the kids actions and rolls his eyes at me mumbling something about spineless and cowards. I'll show him coward.

I sit down in my seat just as the teacher comes in "students it will be just a second before we will begin, I need to talk to Jimmy and Cindy for something important!" he chirps emphasizing the 'important' in a sing song voice.


	2. Play Dates

Jimmy and I exchange worried, confused and intrigued glances – though we both knew we just going to be paired up for some kind of contest with our superior knowledge of everything and our talent of doing anything we put our minds too… oh and don't forget our ability to smoke the competition with our extreme-

"CINDY VORTEX GET YOUR HINEY UP HERE!!" the teacher interrupts my thoughts. I grab my bag and rush up to the front joining Jimmy and Mr. Holomer. "Jimmy, Cindy, you too are Retroville's greatest minds." Jimmy and I roll our eyes expecting to either receive an award or compete for one.

"But this whole fighting thing isn't working." his words immediately surprise me. "You and I both know competing is a natural instinct of every living being; but when to exceptional minds like you compete with each other instead of combine your efforts, no one wins – in fact, you can't help but lose!"

"But we've gotten along fine so far individually; I don't see what the problem is?" Jimmy asks. I nod "yeah, we haven't lost anything yet. In fact I would say the competing is what makes us so smart. It boosts our reaction time, our common sense and our ability to predict the next move of our opponent." I add.

"Yes, yes I know kids, and that makes you killer at chess, but this is life. Not a board game. I need you to stop your bickering at once or I won't be able to recommend you to the appropriate college. I know you have it in you to work together, I want to see a dramatic change in attitude by the end of this week or you won't even be able to get into a community college"

I gasp and look at Jimmy, who is studying the board like a precious jewel "Mr. Holomer, could I please talk to Jimmy outside?" I ask.

He nods "take as long as you need to settle this dispute" he stands up from his chair and starts lecturing the class as I drag Jimmy out into the hallway. After the door is closed I begin.

"Alright Nerdbrain, listen up, if I can't even get into a community college, then Yale is obviously unattainable, and I'm not going to stand for that. If it takes blackmailing to make us stop fighting then it is obviously an issue." I say.

Jimmy nods "and I absolutely need to go to Harvard for my medical degree so I can continue doing my experiments to benefit the human race – and that would be off limits too, so truce?"

I extend my hand "shake on it"

He grips it and we shake "now, if we can last the rest of this semester without a word of disagreement, then we'd be home free." I smile "yeah, you off to Harvard and I'd be off to Yale."

"And we won't have to see each other – much less fight – ever again!" he weakly smiles. I frown "don't say that Neutron, I'm sure we'd bump into each other later on in life and by then we'd be over this stupid dispute."

"About tomatoes and cowboys?" he chuckles. I laugh "exactly. Maybe this whole 'no fighting' thing won't be so bad. We'll be over it easily. Just like that" I say snapping.

He rolls his eyes "Vortex think about it, think about our reputation, each and every day we fight about something. This isn't exactly going to be a cakewalk."

"Neutron, if it were a cakewalk, we getting along would be out of pure luck" I say.

He shrugs "I know, I was suggesting we had to work at it, that it wasn't going to be easy." he smiles, trying to lead me along.

I feel a slight anger inside me boiling "I'm sure at our level of intellect that getting along, a very simple thing to do, isn't going to be any trouble at all!" smiling sarcastically back.

He shakes his head "No way Vortex! Being smart doesn't get you out of hard work!"

"It does when you know what to do!!" "No it doesn't vortex!"

"YES IT DOES NEUTRON!!"

"NO IT DOESN'T!!"

"YES IT DOES!!"

"DOESN'T"

"DOES"

"DOESN'T"

"DOES!"

"IT DOESN'T JUST ADMIT IT VORTEX!!"

The door swings open frightening us, I jumped about a foot and Jimmy screamed. Mr. Holomer appears fuming.

"CHILDREN!! You're interrupting our class!! Get in here and _stop_ fighting!" Mr. Holomer pulls us in and we sit down as yet another person chews us out because of our squabbling. "Now I understand that this might take some getting used to, but if it doesn't get done by the end of this week, I will even put in a _bad_ word for you." he continues.

"If this is going to get done, I suggest you practice every night this week. So I'm going to make up a chart, I need you two to see each other at least 2 hours each day after school."

"WHAT!?" Jimmy and I object in unison


	3. Notes

"You can't be serious" "This is an outrage" "I HAVE RIGHTS" "THIS IS A VIOLATION TO THE BILL OF RIGHTS" "THAT'S RIGHT!! THIS IS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT!!"

"JAMES IAASAC NEUTRON AND CYTHNIA AURORA VORTEX!! SILENCE NOW OR BE EXPELLED!!" Mr. Holomer demands. We immediately shut up. "I will make a chart that I need each of your parents to sign saying you did the full 4 hours-"

"But you said it was 2 hours!!" Jimmy says. "I changed my mind after your little outburst! Now I need you to stay after class so we can talk about this."

Jimmy and I exchange glances and he goes back to teaching the class.

A little while after he went back to talking, Jimmy throws a note on my desk.

_well, since we have to, you wanna come to my lab tonight?_

-it read. I read it over again and again and smile

_Sure thing what time? _

I write and pass it back to Jimmy he shrugs and scribbles something down. He folds it back up and slips it into my hand

_how about 3 o'clock? Right after school? _

_sounds great_

I put it on his desk after making sure the teacher wasn't looking.

He writes things down and hands it back unfolded.

_Super… but what are we going to do for 4 freaking hours?!_

I shrug and look up as the teacher continues teaching.

_You want to watch a movie?_

I hand it to him and watch him read it then write back.

_What about the other two hours?_

Just as I start writing the bell rings and the students all stand up. "Jimmy, Cindy" Mr. Holomer says. I gather my stuff and go up to him, Jimmy walking up behind.

"Now kids, isn't passing notes a little old fashioned for you?" Mr. Holomer smiles picking up the piece of paper from on top of Cindy's binder. His eyes skim the paper and he chuckles "making plans for your little play date I see!"

Jimmy tightens his fist "hey you are making us do this, it's not like we enjoy it!" "Yeah, who wants to spend four whole hours with Nerdbrain!!" Jimmy shoots me a glare; I just smile halfheartedly back, kind of regretfully.

Mr. Holomer rolls his eyes "oh puh-lease! You should have seen each other's expressions while the other was writing. You were staring off with this giddy little look of anticipation smacked on your face, dreaming about what tonight was going to be like."

I avert my eyes from them both and scan the other side of the room. He laughs "Look at you! Right when I said that, you both turned your head like you were two same sides of a magnet." Mr. Holomer says sitting on his desk. I blush and look back up at Mr. Holomer.

"There is no need to be ashamed, just hear me out. I can't work with you two fighting all the time, and it being the last semester of yours and all of the other students' high school year, I need all the focus I can with the letters of recommendations and graduation and also grades. I just need peace"

We nod. "I want you two to spend four hours with each other every day for a week, even on the weekend, so you can practice getting along before you see me. I know this will help you blossom your relationship-"

"What relationship? There is no relationship here!" I say "I can't even stand her!" Jimmy pipes in.

"I'm talking about friendship!! You need to seriously learn to stop interrupting!" Mr. Holomer throws his hands up in the air "I mean seriously!" he rubs his temples and calms down.

"Anyway, here are the charts. Just put the beginning time, the end time, your signature, what you did, and your parents' signature. Do this every day. Down here there is a survey that asks 'how well did you get along'. It is to track your progress."

"Just mark which one applies: '_very_ _poor_; _poor_; _okay_; well; and _very_ _well'_" Mr. Holomer points to the bottom where the surveys are. Jimmy looks over the sheet again. "Sir is this really necessary?" he asks.

"Yeah can't you just trust us to do it with out our parent's needing to verify?" I add. Mr. Holomer shakes his head "I wish I could, but I trusted you to go outside and work this out without fighting, but you saw how that worked out. Now at school after everyday I need to see this sheet. If you don't have your parent's signature you get detention."

Instead of objecting, Jimmy and I just keep quiet and agree. Mr. Holomer nods "great, now get going to 2nd period before your teacher gets mad- do you need a note?"

Jimmy shakes his head "no it's our free period" Mr. Holomer smiles "okay get going. See you two crazy kids tomorrow!"

"We'll be here!" I say and skip out of the class catching up to Jimmy.

"So Jimmy, this will be interesting" I say as we turn the corner to the front door leading to the outside. "Did you just call me Jimmy?" he asks. I roll my eyes, "if we want to get along, we might as well call each other by our first name." He smile, his little rugged, slanted smile "hmm, Jimmy, it sounds nice when you say it"

"Now don't get all schmoozy with me mister! This is purely academic, not a date." I say blushing slightly. "By the way, what are we going to do the other 2 hours?"

Jimmy smiles, "we'll just have to see what it leads to!"

I put my finger in my mouth and make a gagging noise.

"Okay, barf! I'll see you later loser, why don't you go catch up on your little loser pals baby-cries-a-lot and ultra-dofus I'll be hanging with Libs!" I say waving goodbye and climbing into my car and starting her up. Libby comes running out of the school just in time as she climbs into the passenger seat.

We drive away leaving old Neutron in the dust. "What a dork" Libs says giggling. I look in the rear view mirror to see Jimmy take a remote out of his pocket and click a button. A few seconds later his dingy old hover car with its new modifications lands in front of him and he climbs in.

"Yeah… dork" I say looking straight a head at the road.


	4. Getting Ready

Later, Libby sits across from me at the candy bar smiling all-knowingly. "You excited about your date with Jimmy tonight?" she asks

I glare at her "get a life Libs, it isn't a date, it's an assignment" I say drinking some more of my purple flurp. She rolls her eyes "girl, you made this my life. You and nerdbomb can't see what's in front o you made it my business to look for you. Now you don't see me getting' any thank you's?"

I roll my eyes "what ever. OH! I have to go pick out a movie, you want to come?" She smiles "sure thing" I put the money on the table and lead her back out to my BMW Coupe.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L77L7L7

The last period bell rang and I shot up from my desk, eager to get home, but not enough to admit it. "Cyn, hold up!! Wait for me girl!" Libs says trying to catch up with me, I cut her some slack and slow down. I have an hour 'til I get to Neutron's, what's the rush?

"Girl, slow down, please I'm not gonna ruin these forty dollar shoes for you, you ain't worth forty dollars!" I smile "you're so compassionate Libs" I say. She smiles too, "I know"

We walk out to the car and she grins big "Girl, you going to Jimmy's tonight, you excited?" "Yeah, sorta. I don't know what to expect." I say unlocking the car from a fair distance.

"Knowing Nerdbrain I could tell you what you aren't getting, coherent sentences!" she laughs, I join in. "yeah…… what am I going to wear?" I ask honestly unaware. She smiles "Leave that up to me!"

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

In my room approximately 30 minutes until I go over to Jimmy's, Libby stands amidst literally thousands of shirts I come back out of my walk in closet with three more and put them on the bed. She looks at me and then at the shirts "girl you got to let me borrow these some time!"

I smile "sure, now, what should I wear!" I ask. She smiles "it needs to be nonchalant. Cool, yet casual; fashionable, yet comfy. So a plain grey-blue baby tee, with broken in blue jeans and converse." she says picking up each item as she says it.

"That was fast" I say surprised that it took her less than 2 minutes to pick out her perfect outfit. Libby looks at me with a knowing look "trust me girl, I have experience. your going to be spending 4 hours with neutron all cuddled up on his dinky old lab couch watching Pirates of the Caribbean, you need to be comfy or you'll regret it."

I roll my eyes. "Who says we'll be cuddling" I ask rhetorically. She grins "it'll happen trust me. Now go shower and we'll do your hair"

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

Later Libs rolls my hair into a towel and lets me finish putting my shirt on. "Ok babe, next I just want to put a little light pink lip gloss on and a bit of glitter eye shadow. so hold still" she says as she dabs the lip gloss on my lips. I love lip gloss, it's just the way that it gleams and shines.

"Okay done. Now let's do that hair!!" she says taking it out of the towel and blow drying it. I sit patiently, why is it that Libby always dresses me? Am I that incompetent? Ow… "OW!" I repeat out loud

I cringe as she pulls my hair into a French braid "this is painful Libby!" I say twitching at each pin she stabs in my hair "girl, it'll be over soon, just chillax!" she reassures. Sighing I play with the scrunchy on my vanity as she finishes up.

"All done," she pauses and looks at her watch "and just in time, get going girl!" I smile "how do I look?" I ask looking in the mirror.

"You look fine. Now you wouldn't mind me shopping through your clothes while you're gone, would ya?" she asks picking up a cute forest green bib tee with white polka dots on it. I smile "it's not a problem"

"Great!!" she beams "Now get going before I kick you out, don't have too much fun!" She calls as I walk out the door and down the stairs.

"She knows too much for her own good" I say as I leave out the front door.


	5. 4 Hours Alone

DING DONG!!

I ring the doorbell. I nervously plan out the dialogue in my mind when Mrs. Neutron answers the red stained oak door. "Hello Cindy, can I help you?" she asks. I smile "is Jimmy home?" I ask.

"I think he is down in his lab, you could check there!" she smiles. I nod "thanks" I start to turn around and walk "Cindy dear, would you like to come for some pie?" Mr. Neutron comes to the door; I shake my head politely "I just came to see Jimmy" I say.

He smiles "more for me then!" Mrs. Neutron waves "you look beautiful dear!" she calls as I round the corner to his backyard. I smile, Neutron's family is crazy. I walk up the dead grass path to Jimmy's clubhouse and knock on the door "Jimmy, let me in!!" I say preparing to be sucked down the tube. After a few seconds I open my eyes and unclench my fists. Strange, nothing happened.

Just then the door opens and Jimmy dressed in a maroon cotton t-shirt and blue jeans answers "Hey Cindy!" he beams offering me inside. I smile and go in "what happened to the tube?" I ask.

"I got too big for it so I installed stairs. Well, built them." He corrects opening the hatch that opens to the stairs that lead down to the lab. "Swanky" I say following him down. He laughs "nice word choice, Vortex" he says as we reach the bottom.

"Hey, I complemented you, be nice" he sighs "sorry Cindy"

"Did you bring the movie?" he asks. I nod and reach into my bag "here, Pirates" I say grinning. He frowns "ugh, Pirates of the Caribbean? I don't want to watch pirates, I thought you were going to bring a documentary!!" he cries plopping down on the red plaid couch.

He picks up on of the forest green pillows and huffs. "Get over it baby! I brought that, too! Just incase you would actually complain about seeing a real movie." I say plopping down as far away from him as I could. I throw him the bag from block buster. He smiles picking out the movie – The lobes, tissues, and cells of the mighty brain! – an instant hit.

"Awesome, now I can study even more about the human intellect!" he beams putting the DVD in the player. He sits back down on the couch, half way between where I am sitting and where he used to sit. He claps his hands once and a six pack of purple flurp and a serving bowl of Lays potato chips raised up on the coffee table.

"Again, swanky!" I say nonchalantly. He claps his hands twice as I tear two cans from the 6, immediately the lights dim until it is completely dark. "Play movie" he says and the screen turns on. I smile; it is way cooler than a movie theater!

He sits back and hands me a pillow and a forest green, fluffy blanket. I gladly accept, snuggling into the couch.

The movie starts talking about the lobes of the brain – frontal, lower, upper – but my mind was else where (no pun intended). I could tell too, because after every fact the narrator said I looked over at Jimmy.

His eyes are glued to the screen in awe as he slowly picks up a chip and raises it to his mouth. _Crunch_. I giggle, and he looks over at me. I quickly avoid his stare and look back at the screen "mm hmm" I say as if I was watching "interesting" I say. I try and contain my laugh "what do ya know? That is just the darnedest thing"

Jimmy shakes his head eating another chip. I finally brake down and start laughing, unable to contain myself. "Ha ha ha ha!" I giggle, chuckle and snort. Jimmy looks at me like I've gone crazy. "I… can't…. help… it!!" I cackle. He just smiles and looks back at the movie, adjusting his seat so he is just a little bit further away from me.

I slowly calm myself down and in time stop laughing, "nice to know you find the inner workings of the brain so amusing." He says, I scoff "so what if I do, Nerdtron!"

He shakes his finger "now, now _Bore_tex, remember our rule about the nicknames!" he scorns. I grab the finger tightly and pull it towards me "you prepared to lose that finger?" I ask seriously.

He gulps and I let his finger go. "Thought so" I say as we return to the movie.

Jimmy smiles "and you say this will be easy" he mumbles. "Excuse me?" I ask straightening myself.

"I was just saying that you thought getting along would be easy and then you threaten to rip off my finger. Kind of hypocritical don't you think?" he suggests shrugging. I stand up, oh so you think I was just going to sit there and take that?

"Oh no! I'm hypocritical? Mr. 'no nicknames' then calling me Boretex. You think I'm hypocritical?" I demand. He smiles "you and I both know it was just a joke!" he says.

"I know, it's just – I don't know – ugh!... never mind" I say shifting my weight to my other foot. He smiles "Good, now _Bore_tex sit down and enjoy the movie." he smirks.

I mock his expression with my tongue sticking out. "K, _Nerd_tron." I say sitting down next to him. I'll watch the movie then.

"_The hormones oxytocin and vasopressin are important for social attachment, according to a series of precise studies in monogamous mice-like animals, known as prairie voles"_

"_Some of the new research finds that our ability to love and bond to others arises from the activation of certain brain circuits that are thought to help reinforce behaviors by producing feelings of pleasure or reward." _

"_For example, in one recent study, researchers used imaging techniques to highlight the brain activity of people experiencing romantic love or maternal love. Participants in the romantic group professed to be "truly, deeply, and madly in love" with a boyfriend or girlfriend" _

I glance over at Jimmy and sees that he does the same. We both immediately face the screen.

"_Researchers measured the groups' brain activity while they viewed pictures of their boyfriend or girlfriend, compared with pictures of friends. In the maternal group, moms viewed pictures of their infants, compared with pictures of other babies they were acquainted with. _

"_The study found that regions in the brain's reward system were active in participants experiencing romantic love or maternal love. In addition, the areas coincide with some regions where the brain hormones oxytocin and vasopressin are active"_

I situate myself again, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Cindy," Jimmy says startling me. I shoot my head up and look at him. "Yeah?" I ask. He smiles "you need another pillow?" he asks wholeheartedly.

I grin "no, but is it okay if I lie down?" I ask. "Sure thing!!" he exclaims. I lie down with my head on the pillow and, unsure what to do with my feet, I just tuck them up to my chest.

"You can put your feet down here if you want" he says nervously. I smile and put my feet on his lap, he rests his hand on them and we continue to watch the movie. My stomach is doing flips. My heart is beating out of control. My mind is rapidly spinning. My hands are shaking. He looks the same.

Just then the movie stops and ejects. Him and I both jump "when'd the movie stop?" He asks. I look up "I don't know."

"Well that was short." he looks at his watch "WOAH!" he yells. I jump up "what?" I ask worried. "It's been 3 hours!" he says. My eyes widen "that doesn't seem right!"

He smiles "I know, I guess time flies when your having fun." he says actually. I laugh "Neutron you devil, are you suggesting you actually had fun being stuck for 3 hours with _me_?" I ask. "Who wouldn't have fun with some one as pretty as you?" he states.

Whoa. That's a change of pace. My heart literally stops as a smile forms across my lips. "You mean it?" I ask nervously. He steps forward "sort of, you know, if you want me to" he replies. I step forward too.

Thank you, Mr. Holomer.


	6. Underwraps

"Alright students, quiet down!" Mr. Holomer says. I turn back around in my seat and face the front. Mr. Holomer looks down at me and then at Jimmy "So children, how'd our little experiment go last night?" he says slyly.

"Seems to have gone well, I haven't heard a peep from either of you all day!" he claps his hands. I frown "Are you kidding!? It went horribly! We fought the whole night!!" Jimmy nods "I'm so disgusted I can hardly look at her let alone talk or argue with her."

"Same here!" I exclaim folding my arms angrily across my chest. "And I'm certainly not looking forward to going over to her house to swim around 5-ish" he says glaring at me. I stand up "and I'll hate that I will provide the towels, snacks and sunscreen!" I throw my hands up in the air dramatically.

He stands up too and prods his finger in my chest "and I'd loathe it unconditionally if in case you couldn't provide any snacks that my mom could bake a pie" he yells. I roll my eyes "And it'd be an outrage if it were cherry!" I put the last word in.

"Fine!" he says.

"Fine!" I agree.

"FINE!" we say simultaneously and sit down with a huff, our arms crossed and a heated look anger plastered on our faces.

Mr. Holomer looks from Jimmy to me to Jimmy to me then to Jimmy again "riiiiiiiight… so, let me… uh see your charts, please." Jimmy and I hand him our separate charts, not breaking our glares.

"WHAT?!" Mr. Holomer says looking from sheet to sheet "Very poor?! I don't understand!" he looks down at us "ugh! Oh- well pooh!! Well, as long as you got it out of your systems, it'll be okay." He sighs giving us back our charts.

He turns around and goes back to the board and scribbles stuff on it.

Jimmy turns to me "so, 5 o' clock?" he mouths with a happy expression, I nod and give the thumbs up.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L

In second period I leave out the door with Jimmy and we start walking to his car. Libby runs up to us.

"Guys, wait up!" she says taking deep breaths. I swing around as Jimmy gets in the driver's seat of the hover car "Girl, where d'ya think you're goin'?" she asks catching up to us.

I smile weakly "well, uh… I was just going to… uh – you see, I was just, um, to ah-"

"Prove me _right_!" he interrupts competitively with a slanted grin. I let out a sigh of relief then sneer at Jimmy "in your dreams Nerdbrain! You know I'm right just admit it!"

He sticks his tongue out at me and I shake my fist threatening to punch him. Libby lowers my hand and smiles "Just don't get abandoned anywhere. You got _both_ cell phones charged?" she asks knowingly. We raise up our cell phones.

"The tank full of gas?" she asks.

"It is stuffed, with two more tanks full on board." Jimmy replies proudly. Libby raises an eyebrow "what about food?" I show her my back pack, it's full of candy, vitamin water and energy bars. She rolls her eyes "okay, have fun being the death of ya!"

I smirk at Neutron and hop in. Libby waves goodbye as we lift off into the air.

"Thanks for the save Jimmy" I say to him. He just smiles "don't mention it, so you want to keep this under wraps for a little while longer?" he asks me.

I smile and nod in reply "sure thing, one or two more days before we ease into the limelight – I don't want too many people suspecting anything."


	7. night out alone with spewtron

A/N: I know I haven't talked to you in a bit, but hold your tomatoes. I've updated steadily, haven't I? Exactly, this is probably going to be my only author's note for a while, so cherish it and understand that I am reaching into the depths of my heart and telling you what I feel! I want to thank all of you who have been reviewing!! And also those who are sticking with me through out this story, thank you also. It's amazing how many hundreds of hits you can get but how little actually get off their lazy butts (figuratively) and review. I love reviews!! You want it, here it is!

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

I watch quietly as the ground underneath us goes by. We are going so fast you barely have time to focus on a piece of gravel, but I try to anyways. It's dark out, the star peacefully resting above our heads.

Suddenly we get farther and farther away from the ground, lifting silently into the air. I turn to Jimmy "what're you doing Neutron?" I ask him. He shrugs "going up". I nod and look back down- suddenly he jerks the steering wheel to the left and the whole hover car tilts to the side, flinging me out.

In a desperate attempt to save my own life I clutch onto one of the patches of the car. Once I get a good grip with one hand, I hold onto it for dear life. Suddenly Jimmy takes off his shirt and undoes his seatbelt falling at least 20 feet to the ground "JIMMY ARE YOU INSANE!!" I scream, not looking down in fear I would see his body fall and splatter on the pavement.

Suddenly, instead of the sound of bones crushing, I hear a large splash and a small sum of water hits my bare feet. I look down and notice we're over the ocean I search for Jimmy just as his head pops up out of the water. "What's the matter Vortex, afraid to relive some little old memories?" he asks sweeping his arm across the water in a desperate attempt to splash me, someone who is 20 feet above him.

"I should ask the same! What's the matter with you!! DO you want to get killed or do you just want the experiences of having your bones crushed and living." I scream down, trying to shimmy my way into the hover car, but failing.

"Relax Vortex, it's just some harmless water!" he laughs floating on his back. I laugh sarcastically "oh yeah, harmless water, how cowardly of me! Neutron did you know that a fall from this height into some 'harmless water' could crush every bone in your body?"

He laughs some more "well, you want me to lower you in here with the remote?" he asks friendly. I shake my head "no, but could you lower it a little?" I ask. He nods "of course!"

After a few minutes of 'hanging around' (bud-um CSHH!) I sigh "well, I'm waiting neutron!" I say. I look down at him he's just smiling idiotically. "WELL?!"

"I need you to get the remote out of the hover car!" he says. I roll my eyes "If I could get in the hover car, I would have taken the wheel and abandoned you her by now, now GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!" I scream kicking my legs.

After a few minutes of struggle I hang limp, exasperated from this whole situation. "Neutron, there is no chance I am going to be able to get into this hover car, so what now?" I ask.

"Then could you just try and get my bag?" he asks. I sigh "I don't know it depends where your bag is" I say annoyed. I look down at him "Neutron my arms are hurting, this isn't enjoyable and definitely not how I remember coming here the last time. Now will you do something to get me down from here?"

"If you could swing back and forth enough times, the force might flip the hover car, and my bag could fall out." he suggests.

"Neutron, honestly I'd rather have my bones crushed." I say. Suddenly my fingers start to lose grip one by one, I can hear the plucking noise I always heard from cartoons with each slip. "NEUTRON I AM SLIPPING!" I yell desperately trying to keep hold.

"Suck it up you baby, I fell, and not a bone broken!" he says doing the back stroke. I feel the anger ijnside me full out blow up into a rage. "I can fix that" I say to myself. I look at his current position and where I'm at, calculating in my mind at what force it would take for me to reach my destination.

I swing my feet forward and backward in a rhythmic fashion, I reach my target speed then let go of my hands when at a forty-five degree angle. I tuck my knees up to my chest and hold my breath as I hear a grunt and a splash.

Bingo.


	8. DREAMS!

I emerge from the water and wade out to the sandy beaches. The dark forest in front me is making noises that chill me to the bone. I shudder at the creepiness of it all, in the darkness, this island loses so much life. Jimmy walks up behind me "Vortex, are you okay?" he asks laying a hand on my shoulder.

I smile "I would be if I were dry." I say shivering walking along the beach. I stop and look down at my feet, and the dirty yellow sand that caresses them. "Jimmy, it's been so long" I whisper not breaking my fascination of my feet. I note the tear that drops from my eye into the sand. Another tear slides down my cheek but hangs on my nose; I can see it out of the corner of my eye.

It stores the reflection of the giant moon and the trillions of stars that hung overhead. I wipe it away quickly and shut my eyes as if out of pain. I hear behind me Jimmy's feet moving slowly through the sand. Wincing when I feel the tips of his fingers touching my bare shoulder (halter top), he grabs the other and turns me around to face him.

"Cindy, it's okay, you don't need to cry… I can understand." he says pulling me into a hug. I wipe the tear that forms in my eye and step back "But you don't understand Jimmy… I've only dreamt of coming here in my dreams! With _you_, except the only difference is we _stayed_ here. That day we were supposed to leave, you agreed to let us stay and sent the others home." I explain.

"No one questioned our absence, there wasn't anyone who went out to rescue us… it was just you and me on this secluded island. And each night I had that dream it'd be a different instance in time." I start pacing as I continue.

"I saw our futures, our pasts, what our lives would be like together. And it was unadulterated heaven – ecstasy… paradise even! And each night before bed I would stare at that old pearl, in that old mollusk, for hours on end, wishing that that could be my – our – reality." I finish flopping down on a rock.

I look up at him "so no, you don't understand." I finish turning to the shore as the small waves shift up and down along the sand. He sits down alongside me. "Cindy, I _do_ understand. All of it! I understand the dreams, the wishing, the countless nights, and days, of wondering why it isn't. I understand because I gave you that!" he says.

I look at him curiously "you _gave_ me it?" I ask perplexed at the thought. How can you _give_ someone a dream? He smiles "yes I gave you it." "how?"

"Well, that day, when we left, you we so sad, and I noticed. I noticed how much you wished – longed even – to be back on that island. You wouldn't talk for days. I felt so bad so I went to my lab and asked Goddard for options…. '

(FLASHBACK!!)

_Jimmy paced the lab, ideas and thoughts bustling around in his mind. The lightbulb above hung limp on the string as it swung back and forth. Jimmy looks up to his pet Goddard in the corner "Goddard, options" he asks. Goddard's chest plate lifts:_

_**Take her back to the island**_

"_No, too risky, next" he says _

_**Buy her some chocolate and hope for the best**_

"_Seriously Goddard!!" the 11 year old boy whines.._

_**Make Goddard a female poodle**_

_Jimmy glares at the dog. "next option" he says_

**_Make her think she's at the island_**

"_BRAIN BLAST!! I could make some kind of compound, a hallucinogenic compound, which would give her the feeling of being at the island! But wait, I don't think I could make a compound with enough energy to last forever. And if I could I wouldn't want her to be there all the time, she'd be a useless blob in real life. Plus a hallucenegenic compound would just be a drug and i know she'd refuse it." he paces the room._

"_Then maybe some kind of devise, I could place on her person that would have the illusion of being on the island. But what about the problem of it being forever…" he says looking to the dog. HE lifts his chest plate:_

_**Dreams?**_

_Jimmy smiles "YEAH!! Dreams, it could only effect her when she is dreaming. It could be activated when she is in the state of REM and would be programmed to zap her mind with the illusion of being on the island. I could program time lapses. And I could even be there... but how." he finishes frowning._

_**Telepathy is always an option.**_

_The dog says. Jimmy smiles again "That's right it is! I could wear a devise just like it, so that we could communicate through radio waves in the air – like a cell phone."_

(END FLASHBACK!!)

"So you attached a little thingy that made me dream all this stuff." I ask. He smiles "yep I have one too. And you know what's funny…" he asks bashfully.

"What?" I raise an eyebrow skeptically. "Mine is on all the time, so I kind of can hear your thoughts." he finishes.

My eyes widen and I jump up "WHAT!!" I scream


	9. I Hate You

"YOU CAN HEAR MY THOUGHTS!?" I yell. What kind of sick-o taps into someone's mind!!

He stutters "It was purely accidental!! You've got to believe me Cindy, it was late at night, and I had been working for days, and I had accidentally skipped a step that controls when it turns on and off… I'm really sorry!" he begs. I glare at him "Neutron, don't give me any excuses… I am disgusted beyond belief – I can barely look at you!" I glower.

He sighs "well, can I just say that I'm sorry?" he asks. I roll my eyes "I think we're passed that neutron, we're now pouring into the 'give me a genuine explanation before I kick your sorry mind reading butt' department"

"Cindy… I didn't mean for this to happen, honest" "Shut it neutron!! You've had 6 years to fix this! Why didn't you… If it was an accident, why didn't you try and reverse it!?"

"Honest, I did Cindy, but I ran a scan and did some tests and found out if I did undo it, I'd reverse it permanently so that I wouldn't be at the island with you at all, and what good is the island with out me?" he says finishing with an innocent smile.

"It's very good – and safe! I can't believe you can hear what I'm thinking! Ugh! This is such a violation of my privacy!!" I groan. "You are going to fix this Neutron…" I mumble angrily staring at him. He shifts uncomfortably "well you see there's just one problem." he points out.

I roll my eyes "it's permanent isn't it?" I ask frustrated. He laughs nervously "I might be able to reverse the programming to work out the kinks but I'd need the devise." he says twiddling his fingers. I shrug "so, where's the devise?" I ask.

"Well, not too long ago - approximately - 2 years, it kind of, well, fell off." he smiles. I continue to frown, so he laughs and continues "yeah so, uh, well that kind of means that the devise left permanent imprints on your mind so the devise isn't affecting you at all anymore and so, I can't reverse it without, um, how do I put this lightly…... uh, removing the imprints and that means you will have to have your mind dumped again and we need Libby to sort out all of your memories and deleting the imprint." he finishes quickly.

I grimace "I have to dump my mind again?" I ask remorsefully. He smiles "uh, yep, that's pretty much what's going to need to be done."

"You are going to pay for this neutron, I don't know how, I don't know when but I'm going to make you pay!" I say prodding my finger in his chest. "Now go get that stupid hover car of yours and take me home before I kick your butt here and now."

"Not a problem" he says and lifts up is watch and presses some buttons. I hear a humming noise and soon the hover car appears driving to the shore. I glare at him "you're telling me that I wore my arms out earlier for nothing?" I ask. He chuckles nervously "well, um about that" - "Just forget it Neutron, take me home." I climb into the hover car and cross my arms. He does the same but instead starts the car and lifts us up into the sky.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

'I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you', I think glaring at Jimmy all third period. Ever since last night that's all I've been thinking, and if he ever asked me something, I'd reply with 'I hate you'. But since I _need_ to get into Yale, I have to put on this act of 'Neutron is my bestiest buddy in the whole wide world!!' But at least the teacher can't hear my thoughts… I can assault him with insults all I want and still get into college.

'Your head is fat; your ego is tremendously disproportioned to your actual worth. You need to work out more. Honestly I think you looked better without the stupid haircut.' I smile at him from across the room with the most pleasant look I can, 'you are such an idiot. And you know what, I'm getting used to you being able to read my thoughts, it's very soothing!' I think.

He slams his head against his desk repeatedly 'that's it, try and smash your skull. Then later you can rearrange the pieces so you actually have a normal sized cranium.' He looks up at me and I smile 'that's right, bestiest buddy! I wuv you!' I give him two thumbs up and the fakest smile I could do.

'Oh wait, no I don't! I hate you, I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you!' I say emphasizing each 'I hate you' differently. I continue to smile politely at him, but with a glint of anger and repulsion in my eye, hopefully he caught it. He goes back to banging his head against his desk.

He caught it.

I can seriously get used to this.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

"You would think that Nerdbrain wouldn't be able to handle the constant chatter of a girls mind by now." Libs says smiling as we walk through the mall "I know, it's just, why would he want to anyways you know?" I say turning into Glam Footwear.

"OOH! Girl, check out these shoes!" Libs says rushing towards a pair of glittery purple go-go high heel boots. I smile "you can have those Libs, I'm going to keep looking" I say passing her and going down the first isle of shoes. 'I hate you' plays over and over in the back of my mind, I know it's driving him insane secretly… and I love it.

"I love it!" I say as Libby hands me a left shoe. It's a lime green platform go-go boots. She smiles "I know girl! I knew you'd love it. Ok so this is how it's going down: we could be 1960's go-go girls who are secretly secret agents!!" she squeals. I smile widely "Perfect" I say.

"So here are our outfit plans. We are going to need a white leather skirt, a wide lime green-yellow swirl belt, a bright yellow long-sleeved peasant blouse and a green scarf, plus extra-wide white head band… that'll be your outfit. Then for me a white belt and shimmer purple tank top dress and also a white headband." She says.

I smile too, "so what's all this for?" I ask confused. She rolls her eyes "girl, I told you about this, it's for the costume party I'm throwin' in two days! I gave you the flyer!" she says slapping my arm. I roll my eyes "oh yeah how could I forget that hot pink flyer with 'COSTUME PARTY!!" written in bold across the top in bright yellow letters."

She smiles, "So you want to go pay for these and get the rest of our outfits?" she asks. I nod "yeah sure thing." I say following her to the check out.

'I hate you, I hate you, I hate you… Sigh'


	10. Party

I walk out of my bathroom in what seems to be a skirt made for a Barbie doll. "Libby, I don't feel comfortable in this" I say looking uneasily in the mirror. She walks up to me in her outfit, which by the way is adorable – I guess mine is too – "girl, just give it time, you will love it!! What we need to do now is our hair. Now where is your hairspray?" she asks.

I point to the bathroom and she rushes in. I look a while in the mirror, the boots reach up to my knees and the skirt goes down half way to my thighs. She comes out of the bathroom "alright close your eyes" She says really quickly. I turn to her just in time to have her spray my face with hairspray; she realizes my mistake and moves the can upwards to my bangs. She pushes my head down and runs her fingers through my hair. I cough perversely 'my god, how much hairspray do I need?' I think

'A lot if you want that rat trap to look good, vortex!' a voice in my mind replies. My head shoots up "what did you just say Libby?" I ask her astonished, she stares at me blankly. "What are you talking 'bout girl? I didn't say nuthin'." she says running her hands through my hair again, making it poof up.

'Cindy, you're going crazy' the voice returns. "I'M NOT CRAZY!!" I shriek neurotically. Libby looks down at me "Girl, chillax, I didn't say you were crazy!" She says. I look back up at her as she puts the white headband in my hair. Tonight, tonight was the night! We were going to Libby's party.

"Girl, you look like you stepped right out of the 60's!!" she says. She reaches to my vanity and grabs the green eye shadow. She mixes it and puts it on my eyes, up to my eyebrows, making sure it makes a statement 'it'll make a statement alright, not the kind you're thinking of though' the voice says.

I slap Libby's hand; it smears eye makeup off into my hair "CINDY!! You ruined your make up!! What has gotten into you, Girl?" she yells getting a wet towel and wiping off the smeared make up. "More like what has gotten into my mind, something is going on, I keep hearing a voice" I say worried.

She rolls her eyes "well get over it, my party starts in 30 minutes, we better get there before the others do!" She says rushing out the door with her purse. I stand up and look in the mirror one last time then follow her.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

The lights go low, and the music goes high. Libby switches on the strobe lights and starts pouring the drinks. I smile at her and open the door, the crisp night air rushes inside, as well as a few party guests. As they clear a familiar humming sound appears and Jimmy's hover car lands on Libby's front lawn. He jumps out dressed as Zorro, followed by Ultralord and uh…

"Hey Cindy, if you're wondering, Carl is dressed as – now, what was he dressed as again?" he asks himself.

"For the last time, it's Llama boy!! ULTRALORD'S distant cousin who is his sidekick!!" he whines coming in. Sheen heads straight for the food bar, as does Carl. Jimmy waits by the door with me.

"So Cindy, you're a go-go dancer?" he asks swinging back and forth on his feet. I glower at him "I hate you" I say turning back to face outside, I hear him sigh "Cindy, when are you going to forgive me?" he asks feebly. I swirl back around "when you get down on your knees and beg." I say straightly. He sighs, and to my surprise drops to his knees.

"Cindy Vortex, I am not worthy to be in your presence, your mightiness makes my wholesomeness abate to nothingness! Will you please accept my humble apologies, and in return may you forgive my wrongdoings and in time again be my acquaintance once more?" he grovels. I roll my eyes "no"

He gets up "Look, I need to talk to you, seriously." he says. "What isn't serious about groveling?" I smile. He furrows his brow "fine, nerdbomb, start talking!" I laugh. He shakes his head "not here, somewhere private." he whispers.

"You want to go out to the pool?" I asks pointing to the sliding glass door, he shakes his head "somewhere even more private." he says. I look at him suspiciously "what do you want to talk about neutron?" I ask. He shakes his head once more "Just come on!" he says grabbing my wrist (the one without the bangle) and leads me through the masses of people and the low hanging artificial smoke from the machine that Jimmy made.

"Neutron, chill out, we can go upstairs to the den if you want?" I suggest. I see his face light up and he twists around, dragging me with him. "Neutron hold up, what do you have to talk about, it is really hard to run in theses shoes!" I stumble as he drags me up the stairs reluctantly.

We take the last turn into the hallway that has the den in it and we go into the last door on the left. He goes in and I follow as he closes the door and turns on the lamp that is beside the reddish-orange foldout couch.

"Alright, what do you have to tell me that was _so_ important you had to drag me up a flight of stairs and throw me into this cramped dusty old roo_ooo_" – I get interrupted when his lips collide with mine. He puts his hand on my lower back just above my waist and his other behind my head, resting peacefully on my giant hair. I lock my arms under his and put my hands on his shoulders.

He deepens the kiss and then breaks it just as fast pulling away. I stumble forward and Jimmy catches me before I fall completely. "You enjoy it?" he asks the obvious.

"Wouldn't you know Nerdtron?" I roll my eyes and dust off my skirt. He smiles "well, actually I wouldn't." he says. I look at him curiously. "I reversed the devise" he says.


	11. Kisses

(A/N) Libby's hair is in a maxi sized afro, and Cindy's is like Farah Faucet

"You… reversed… it?" I say, a smile forms cunningly across my lips "So, you can't hear my thoughts?" I ask sitting down on the couch. He nods and sits across from me on the purple recliner. "Not a word of your thinking I can think in my… uh thoughts" he tries to explain cleverly, failing.

"Well, just to be sure, what am I thinking right now" I close my eyes and think of something quickly.

"Based of the way you've been acting lately, I'm going to have to say 'I hate you'." he asks. I shake my head "no" I get up after opening my eyes and walk towards him "no, it's more along the lines of 'you're amazing'" I say. I grab his hand and lift him up and after hugging him I go and open the door. "Now let's go back and enjoy the party."

"Wait we never got to have our 'serious talk'!" he says pulling me back into the room and closing the door. "Neutron, I'm never going to be able to take you seriously with that little mustache on." I laugh pointing to his mustache that was part of the costume. I start going out the door again, there are lots of teens gathered around, in all the hallways, either looking for a bedroom or bathroom.

"Fine then, would you mind if we just stayed in here?" he begs. I look around to see if anyone I knew had seen me with Jimmy then go back in.

"Okay, so what do you want to do?... the only thing here is that old tiny TV, this dusty old pullout and those two recliners." I turn to him after sitting down on the couch. He sits next to me and reaches across me to get the remote. "Let's watch some TV" he says turning it on.

We watch it in silence until I get up "so, I'm going to go to get some food and drink" I say heading for the door, he nods "get me some punch" I smile and leave out the door.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

(SURPRISE LIBBY'S POV!!)

Where did that girl get to? "Sheen, get off me!!" I say turning around pushing sheen. He smiles "What kind of go-go dancer doesn't wanna dance?!" he says moving back and forth in some kind of attempt at 'dancing'. I take another sip of my punch and turn back to the party, just as Cindy walks up. She has a big grin on her face.

"LIBS!" she shrieks jumping up and down on her way to me. I smile "what girl," I ask.

"Neutron kissed me!" she whispers when she's near me "HE WHAT?" I yell. She smiles "He kissed me!!" she repeats. I grab her arm and drag her to the corner. Once we get there I turn around and squeal "OOH!! GIRL!! I'm so proud of you!" I say, jumping up and down. She jumps with me "I know"

"Well, where is he?" I ask looking behind her at the party. The darkness and smokes cleverly disguise what I thought was Jimmy. She shakes her head "He's up in the den waiting for me to come back with drinks." I gasp "OOH!! Girl, you doin' anything else than kissin'?" I laugh.

"No, we're just watching TV; Libby, Sheen has really morphed your mind." she says walking me over to the drink table. She picks up two cups of punch and turns to me "okay, so I'll be going back up there now... See you after the party Libby." She says. I wave goodbye to her and turn back around to see Sheen sitting in the hot tub with two blondes by him listening to him rambling on about none other than Ultralord.

I frown and roll my eyes pacing to the outside.

(A/N: I guess it was kind of short but I'll right 2 chapters tomorrow.)


	12. Something Is Wrong

(A/N: It's back to Cindy's POV)

I glide up the stairs slipping between couples and people. I reach the upstairs to find a crowd of people around the den. Perfect.

"'Scuse me... pardon me, WATCH IT BUDDY!" I yell moving through the crowd, I look inside at Jimmy trying to get these people to leave. He looks up in exhaustion and sees me "CINDY!" he exclaims.

"Start explaining Nerdbrain." I shift my weight onto my other foot, staring at neutron. He rushes to me "Cindy, I can explain, I was in here surfing through the channels when football came on just at the touchdown and a person outside heard it and rushed in. He called in a few other buddies, and I tried to make them leave but they took the remote from me and flaunted it over my head and then pushed me and used my face as a coaster for their drinks." He finishes glaring at the other kids who were glued to the screen.

I sigh, "Well where are we going to go now?" I ask handing him his drink. He takes a sip of it "ah... I don't know. Are there any other dens?" he asks. I shake my head "No, just this one, and she has a basement but it's where the party games are at, and then all the bedrooms are taken for... uh... various reasons. The kitchen, dining room, and living room are consumed with kids, and lastly outside is where all the smokers are." I list off.

He nods, "well, you wanna go home?" he asks. "No way, I promised Libs I'd stick it out through out the whole party, no matter how badly you aggravated me." I say moving back out through the different costumed people mobbing the door.

"She specifically said me?" he asks innocently, I roll my eyes "get over it Neutron, it's not like it's anything new. Now, where to go?" I say. I take a few drinks from my punch, lemon strawberry tango. Sounds revolting, I know, but altogether not that bad.

"Well you want to go dance?" he asks going back down stairs; I follow him and finish off my drink. "Sure, why not?" I say. He takes my hand and we go into the depths of the mob of kids... what did Libby invite the whole population of Texas to this party? The song 'Sweet Dreams' by the Eurhythmics is playing about a fifth of the way into the song.

I start getting the groove of the song, following the beat of about five other people. I start smiling as Jimmy starts to too. During the lyrics we stomp our feet with the drum and when it slows down in between we lean back slowly moving our shoulders in a clockwise rotation. Everyone starts clapping their hands simultaneously and we keep doing that for the remainder of the song, still dancing. After a while the dance dies down and the song stops.

Jimmy makes his way over to the punch bowl to get us some more punch. I look up at the clock, 11 o clock. The party is probably going to be an all-nighter, I think to myself as Jimmy returns with the drinks. "Here you go Cindy" he says handing me the red plastic cup. I take a sip of the sweet and sour concoction.

"Thanks. So, what d'you wanna do now?" I ask. The next song comes on; it's heartbreaker by Pat Benatar. He smiles "wanna dance?" He asks. I smile too and he takes my hand leading me to the dance floor we start dancing.

Just as the first chorus comes on, though, the music cuts off. "HEY!" I object among with many others. I hear feedback and then Libby's voice come in on a mic "Sorry party guests, but party's over!" she says with an innocent laugh. I look at her confused, Libby would never cutoff the music in the middle of a song like that. I walk through the crowd up to the front "Libby, what's up?" I ask as she turns the mic off, she looks at me with big eyes "girl, something is wrong" she says.


	13. Clean Up

"What's wrong Libby?" I ask her after leading her away from the party into the front yard "Girl, it's nothing to serious, just my mom and dad are going to be home in 30 minutes... heh heh." she trails off twiddling her fingers. I smile "that's okay; they know you're having this party, don't they?" I ask her relieved.

A few seconds in silence and me looking at her questioning face "Oh, Libby, you said they knew!!" I explode. She smiles "They do, they do know it's just uh, well, girl you remember that one time when you thought you knew I wasn't setting you up with Jimmy when you went on that blind date, and then you went on it and Jimmy was there?" she smiles.

I raise my eyebrow "they don't know Jimmy is here?" I ask. This girl is crazy. She shakes her head "well, technically they don't know you're here." She looks behind me at some people gathered around something "or them." she says. Then points to the house "or the contents of that building... they don't know that they're here either." she says.

I rest my head in my hand "Libby, how many parties of yours that I have attended, did your parents actually know about?" I ask. She takes my arm and smiles "this is the only one... I promise! Sheen just had a way with words, and when he mentioned 'costumes', girl, I couldn't resist" she smiles and waves at sheen through the open door. Barf.

"All these years and I still can't figure out how you ever fell for that idiot Sheen." I roll my eyes and start for the door; I guess I'm going to have to resolve this. But Libby grabs my arm "All these years and I still can't figure out how you never went out with that genius Jimmy" she smiles. I glare at her "hardy har, Libs give it up" I say.

"Oh, I don't have to Cyn, you already did enough by kissing him, I'm sure I can just lay back and relax and watch the rest bloom." she smiles following me into the room.

I step up to the mic "Hey everyone, party's over put your tail into high gear before I do it for you!" I yell... you could practically hear the crickets as all of those wide eyes just stared at me like deer in the headlights. "Well... GET!!" I yell. Still nothing happens.

I bend down and grab the nearest loser to the mic by the collar "You, take your poesy and scram!" I yell into his face. His friends, about five of them, run out of the house and I throw him on the floor. He scrambles to get up and crawls out the door.

"Everyone out before I call the cops on you sorry losers!" I finally bargain taking out my cell phone and flipping it open in one swift move. Soon everyone in the living room, except Jimmy, Sheen and Libby are out. The screech of tires and slamming of doors is heard outside. Libby smiles "thanks girl that was quick!" she says. I shake my head... "It isn't over yet, we still have the basement, the backyard, and regretfully, the bedrooms. We are going to divide these by who will do the best of emptying them." I list off.

Pointing to Jimmy I smile "you get to empty out the den!" I say. He sighs "but! I don't want to, it's full of hyped-up jocks and bullies who are full of testosterone and their energy levels are through the roof!" he whines.

I roll my eyes "so, you'll get over it. Now we only have 30 minutes so I suggest you get to it." I point up stairs as he sighs and unwillingly slumps towards the stairs. "wait!" I stop him. I pick up an air horn that's sitting beside me. I toss it to him "use this to get their attention" I smile. He catches it and goes upstairs turning into the den.

"Cindy, are you crazy? You just sent him to his death!" Sheen says. I shush him "I know - just shut up and listen." I say sitting down in a folding chair. Libby mimics me.

After a few minutes of waiting we hear an air horn and then Jimmy yelling something, then him screaming, then a couple of thumps and grunts, then the sound of some one being tackled. I smile but with each scream and thump Libby and Sheen wince.

I stand back up "okay, back to business. Sheen, since neither Libby nor I wish to deal with naked teenagers, you get bedroom duty" I say. He sighs "aw man!! Gross, what makes you think _I_ want to see naked teenagers!!" he groans. I smile "I don't it's just Libby and I are better than you so that rules us out" I say.

He slumps upstairs mumbling angrily about something. I turn to Libby, "Okay, so it's just you and me now, I need you to go out back and around the house and scare off the people out there, got it?" I ask. She smiles. "Got it" she salutes.

I nod as she opens the glass door and puts on her angry face. "Now that leaves me and the basement." I open the door and go down the squeaky stairs to the bottom.

"First I have to find Carl" I say looking around at the game playing teens... I thought there would be a lot of people down here but you'd be surprised how little adults actually play games. After the first few minutes I spot Carl and rush over to him.

"Oh hey Cindy, I'm just down here kicking but at this limbo game" he snorts "I think I should be some sort of champion or something" he presses his glasses back up on his nose "except maybe for the fact that if I limbo to much my back gets this kink in it and that does some minor damage to my scapula, but I can always work out the kinks with some stretching, maybe pre-stretching even though the game is over and you don't have to do pre-post stretching but it never hurts to be safe!!" he finishes with a smile.

I unfold my arms and stop glaring at him. "Riiiight... so, Carl, I'm going to need you to clear out the game room and clean up for me. All these people have to go." I say looking around at the slow hunch-back, acne ridden, pocket-protecting, glasses wearing geeks who are supposedly 'breaking loose' by playing twister with their shoes, off.

Carl salutes me "ay-ay captain" he snorts. I smile and go back up the rickety stairs and open the door. I look out to the back yard and see Libby fishing out pairs of swim trunks and bottles of root beer out of the pool. People draped in blankets holding their costumes come down the stairs their hair all messed up and their face disgraced. "That's right out! ALL OF YOU!" I hear Sheen cry from up stairs. The last of the bedroom group leave and the beginning of the frat group comes down, high-fiving and smashing cans of flurp on their head. What jocks...

Just then Sheen comes down carrying a knocked unconscious and pretty bruised up Jimmy bridal style. "Here you go Cindy, I found him underneath the piles of empty plastic red cups." he says dropping him on the floor in front of me. I place my fingers on his carotid artery and feel a pulse "well, he's living. He'll be fine" I say leaving him on the ground and going to help clean up.

"Carl is downstairs ridding the basement of nerds, Sheen I need you to get a trashbag and clean upstairs. Don't throw away sheets just wash them. Libby you finish up outside and I'll get the living room/ dining area. When Lord Dorks-A-Lot wakes up I'm going to put him to work on the kitchen" I say gesturing to Jimmy.

Libby looks at me wearily "but Cindy, that could take hours, we have less than 20 minutes!!" she begs. I sigh "fine, I'll wake him up, it doesn't take a team effort, so get to work on your job!"


	14. Dream 1

"Libby, we're home." her father calls out from the front hall. She rushes down the stairs and hugs her dad "Hey daddy, how was your date with mom?" I hear her ask in a sweet tone. I tip-toed down the stairs and Mr. Fulfax spots me "Oh, Cindy, what a nice surprise to see you here, are you staying the night?" he asks.

I shake my head "no sir, I was just hanging out with Libby" I say. He raises an eyebrow "uh, at midnight?" he asks putting an arm around Libby. Mrs. Fulfax takes off her coat "oh, is it midnight already?" I lie "boy, did we let time get away from us, didn't we Libby!" I exaggerate. Mrs. Fulfax smiles "oh you girls," she laughs. We all join in when Libby yawns "well, Cindy, you should get home before your mom starts illin'!" she says handing me the plastic bag with my costume in it (she let me borrow some clothes).

Mr. Fulfax pats Libby's back and she starts to the upstairs as I go to the door. "Well you know what it's like don't you Mrs. Fulfax?" I ask her faking a yawn. She smiles and takes out her earrings "of course I do sweetie, I used to talk up a storm with my best gal pal back in the day, we could have talked for weeks!" she laughs as they wave me off. I walk out to the street.

"Are you sure you don't need a ride?" Mr. Fulfax calls. I wave him off "no, I'll be fine walking" I say. I turn around and pass their privacy hedge, then hide behind it and I hear their door close and lock. I walk back into their side yard and climb up the lattice, onto Libby's roof. "Neutron, where are you?" I whisper.

Suddenly I'm blinded by his headlights switching on and him pressing a button, deactivating the cloaking devise. "Here I am Vortex!" he smiles. I climb into the hover car cramped in between Sheen and Carl. "Did they believe it?" he asks. I smile "they ate up every word. But I have history with them so it's all cool... I just really hope we got everything." I say as we lift seamlessly off the roof.

He smiles "of course you did," he reassures.

"Oh, and Cindy" Jimmy says smiling at me as we near sheens house. I turn to him "what?" he just keeps smiling.

Suddenly in one quick move he takes the blow horn from behind his back and blows it in my face. Soon after the pure shock of having my eardrums bursting subsides, a searing pain arises in my head. "OW!" I exclaim pressing on my temples. I smirks "that was just a thank you for getting me knocked unconscious in the most painful way necessary, or not, and then used as a land fill for red plastic cups." he says.

The hovercraft lands and sheen gets off and goes through his front door I turn to Jimmy "but what about his costume, won't his parents get suspicious?" I ask him. Jimmy looks at me questionably "why would his dad get suspicious of him wearing an Ultralord suit?" he asks me the obvious. I just sit back content with his answer and watch as the ground goes by below us, almost hypnotically... going one, straight direction. So quickly when you focus on it, but when you stop focusing, it goes ever so slowly... slow, quick, slow, quick, slow... quick... slow... (Yawn)

Quick.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

I wake up to the sound of ocean waves. I'm in the bungalow, the white sheer curtains flow back and forth from the wind of our open window. The sheets on the bed crinkle when I roll over and step on the wood floors. I walk over to the window and look out on the beach, a giant wave crashes on the sand and pulls back to reveal a seaweed covered Jimmy.

"JIMMY" I call out waving, I watch him stand up, but then just do nothing. I walk over to the mirror and fix my hair into a ponytail then go over to the door.

I smile and go out the door and onto the sand; I walk over to Jimmy who's still just standing there. "Hi Jimmy" I smile. He just stares blankly back. I wave my hand in front of him "Jimmy? Hey Jimmy... What's gotten into you Jimmy?" I ask. He says nothing and just stares back at me "Jimmy... are you asleep?" I ask laughing slightly. I nudge him with my elbow.

"Jimmy, wake up, this isn't funny!!" I say snapping him into attention, but ultimately failing. "Seriously Jimmy wake up!! Snap out of it Jimmy and wake up!" I yell pushing him. He fumbles but recovers and goes back to staring. "JIMMY! WAKE UP!" I shake him, worried to tears as they start to rush down my face.

It starts to rain and the water gets rough and starts storming the shore. The wind blows hard sweeping my hair out of its ponytail, both our hair blows in one direction as I shake him desperately. "WAKE UP JIMMY! IT'S A HURRICANE! YOU HAVE TO SNAP OUT OF THIS I NEED YOU JIMMY!" I yell choking on my tears, he just keeps staring.

As I sob harder, the winds increase. Sand is being blow into the air and trees are being uprooted, and waves are pelting the shore, the ocean growing more and more restless.

"JIMMY!" I yell above the noise of the storm, I grab onto him "JIMMY PLEASE WAKE UP!! WAKE UP JIMMY!! STOP DOING THIS; I NEED YOU TO COME BACK BEFORE BOTH OF US DIE!! JIMMY I NEED YOU!! PLEASE!! WAKE UP!" I cry latching onto him in embrace.

Suddenly one giant gust of wind tears us apart and lifts Jimmy into the air; I reach out to him as he gets blown away from me "JIMMY!!" I call crying my eyes out. He doesn't reach back for me... he just flies away with the wind, with that blank look, twisting and turning in the air until he was out of sight. "JIMMY!" I drop to my knees and claw at the sand out of anger and desperation. Jimmy, how could he leave me?

I crawl up into fedel position and rock back and forth weeping. I hear cracks and snaps of wood and soon our house is being lifted into the air just as Jimmy once was, I reach for it also "JIMMY, OUR HOUSE!" I weep... all that I have is being viciously torn away from me! I run to the cover of a coconut tree on the edge of the jungle. I watch the shores for Jimmy, through my tears nothing happens.

"Jimmy, come back, I need you... I need you Jimmy!" I gently moan rocking back and forth, my back to the coconut tree. I rock slowly weeping, the storm continues. "Jimmy, will you comeback... why did you leave me?" I sob into my hands.

I lie down and soon the storm puts me to sleep.

Jimmy.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

Oh... CLIFF HANGER!! I am going to continue the story on my computer and then you get the sweet relief tomorrow! But today you get to lose all of your hair and go insane!! Err, I know I'm about to with these technical glitches that wont let me log back in!!

CIAO!!


	15. Dream 2

I COULDN'T RESIST!! I dropped the cliffhanger! Here you go!

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

Jimmy, Jimmy! JIMMY! Jimmy... Jimmy, Jimmy? Jimmy, Jimmy... Jimmy, Jimmy... where are you... Jimmy, Jimmy! JIMMY!! JIMMY!

"Cindy?" I yank out of my coma-like sleep. Jimmy is standing over me... he stops shaking my shoulder and smiles "wakey, wakey sleepy head!" he says laughing. "You had me worried there, you were calling my name out repeatedly in your sleep... I was wondering when it would stop..." he says.

"I decided that if I tried to sneak you back into your house your mom would hear you crying my name and catch us in the act" he says extending his hand.

I stare at him longingly and after wiping away my tears I take it. He hoists me up and I snatch him in an embrace "don't ever leave me like that again" I cry, the tears resurfacing. He steps back "okay, I'll try not to" he smiles. I frown "I'm serious, I never want to have to go through that again, you leaving that way... it just wasn't right" I say wiping my eyes, but of no use since they just came back.

He rests a hand on my shoulder "what kind of dream were you having?" he asks seriously. I brush off his hand and go sit in his chair "nothing, I just... I don't want to talk about it." I say grimly. I look up at his clock(s). "It's 8?" I ask. He nods "yep"

"At night?" I ask. He laughs "Cindy we left Libby's house at midnight, it can't be four hours earlier!" he snickers at my idiocy. It was just because I had forgotten, you would have too if you had a dream as terrible as I did!!

"Cindy, you wanna go home and change?" He asks offering a hand "No, I just, kind of want to be here with you." I say overwhelmed. He nods silently and sits down on the couch, "well, you ever wanna tell me about that dream of yours?" he smiles. I shake my head "no, I never even wanna think about it. I just want to forget it, and hopefully never dream it again! I just want to be here with you." I justify. I stand up and walk over to him.

"I never want to leave you Jimmy, I need you. I need to know I can always fall back on you" I say sitting beside him latching on to his chest. He pats my back "sure thing Cyn, you don't have to worry about me leaving, I'll always be here." he smiles down at me.

We sit there for about thirty minutes, just listening to the silence and the synchronized beating of our hearts, and the rhythmic pattern of our breaths. I sigh, breaking the rhythm. "Jimmy, what happened?" I ask. He shrugs... "I don't know I am pretty sure nothing happened, we've kind of always been this way" he says dumbly.

I shake my head "no, in my dream, you were there. But you weren't, you know?" I ask. He shakes his head "I have no earthly idea. Honestly Cyn, I don't have a clue." he says. I roll my eyes. "The island" is all I'm able to get out.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

"Mommy, MOMMY! Wake up"

I open my eyes to see my son Nathan's big brown eyes staring back at me. I sit up in my bed, and smile down at my son "what is it Nathan?" I ask him smiling. He smiles too "Daddy stopped moving, I thought he was playing a game, but he wouldn't even blink!" he laughs "he's really good at playing games so I came to get you to cook me breakfast instead" he smiles.

I pick him up and put him back on the floor. Slowly getting out of bed I follow Nathan out the door after getting my pink robe and slipping it on. The family room is caressed by the light of the sun. I turn the corner and there he is.

He is in his white pajama shirt and white blue striped pajama pants crouching down on the floor as if he was talking to Nathan, but just sitting there. I raise my hand up to my chest and run over to him, his eyes glued to the wall. I kneel down in front of him and embrace his frozen statue. My eyes begin to water.

"Mommy, why are you crying it's just a game! He's just playing, aren't you daddy?" Nathan shakes him. I sweep Nathan's hand off of my Jimmy's shoulder and take Nathan up into my arms standing up. "Nathan we have to go" I say, looking out the window I notice dark storm clouds gathering a mile away.

I rush to go get food and water and hurry out the door, "Mommy why are we leaving daddy, he's just playing!" Nathan questions, I look back at the bungalow and let a tear slip down my cheek. Why _am_ I leaving Jimmy there... isn't he just playing? Who am I trying to fool...? I wish he was just playing.

I spin back around and go into the dense jungle, Nathan draped across my shoulder "Mommy, it's scary in here, I want to go back to the shore!" he cries. I rest my hand on his head "shhh, sweetie, we can't go back, or else you'll be taken away from mommy with the storm... just like daddy" I whimper. More tears fall down my cheek.

"Daddy is going with the storm?! I don't want daddy to go... Mommy, why didn't you take daddy with us, he was just playing... Mommy I don't want daddy to go!" he cries. I shiver as the rain starts falling; the animals all scamper away as I run through the trees, tears pouring down my cheeks. I cover Nathan's head with my arm and hold him close to me "Mommy, make the raining stop!" he says.

I near the ledge me and Jimmy fell over the first time, I look up and see the dark storm clouds. Their shadows depict a face. A scary, dark, dreadful, awful face. The face seemed angry and the tighter I held onto Nathan the angrier it got. Nathan looks up and sees the face "MOMMY!" He squeals grabbing on tightly to my shirt "Shhh, Nathan, don't worry, I'm here he can't get you" I calm him, tears streaming down my face.

A gust of wind comes through from the angry cloud, it tries to take Nathan but I won't let it. I sit down and hold him in my arms making sure he won't be taken, but then another wind comes and sweeps us off the ledge to the river below.

"Mommy!" he cries when he slips from my grip as we topple over the edge. I continue to fall and reach for him but the wind lifts Nathan into the air and into the dark clouds. "NATHAN!!" I cry hopelessly. I burst through the surface of the water and look up towards the light, slowly, ever so slowly disappearing into the dark.

Forever.


	16. Dream Talk

The first bell rang and I close my locker, my hair a wreck and my eyes were baggy. Libby walks up to me "So girl how was your weekend?" she asks me. I shrug "I didn't do much after the party... But I've been having this recurring nightmare." I say. She shrugs "I don't know much about that girl, maybe you should talk to Jimmy." she walks with me to first period.

"Cindy, I was trying to reach you all weekend but the line was busy" Jimmy walks up to me. I without warning grab his hand and pull him closer, but not too close as we walk in stride. He looks down at his hand, but shrugs it off. "Sorry about that, my mom was talking with my aunt Cathy in Austin practically the whole weekend." I say as if I holding his hand wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

"Yeah, well I was wondering if you wanted to come down to my lab today after school" he says. I smile "Neutron that lame assignment is over" I laugh.

"No, I mean as friends, real friends. Not fake ones." he smiles as we enter the classroom. He tugs at my hand, trying to get me to release his, but I just clamp down harder "Uh... Cindy?" he says trying not to get attention, I look down at our hands and almost mechanically release it "oh, uh, sorry..." I say awkwardly.

We sit down and the day starts fresh.

L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7L7

I stand at his lab entrance and wait for him to come to the door. "Jimmy!" I yell knocking again. I knock harder... When is this stupid boy going to answer? "The nerve of some people" I sigh and turn around "AAH!" I scream. Da da da dah! Jimmy Neutron stands in all of his glory. "Hey there puddin' pop!" he winks at me.

"Neutron where were you?! It's hotter out here and a fat baby in a burlap bag and I have absolutely no way of cooling down!" I scream at him as he opens the door and heads inside.

"Could you at least PRETEND to listen when I'm screaming at you?" I demand putting my hands on my hips. He calls from down in the lab "Fat baby in a burlap sack... is that a new one?" he asks. I sigh and go down into the lab after closing the door. I grab an unopened flurp can and open it sitting on the couch. "So Neutron I wanted to talk to you" – "ap ahp ahp! First I need to tell you why you came down here!" he interrupts.

I look at him warily and he covers up my eyes. It gets dark and I feel a tug so I go in that direction. After a few minutes of walking and listening to the various sounds around me we stop and Jimmy uncovers my eyes revealing a... table.

"A table?" I ask him. He shakes his head "NO! It's what is on the table!!" he says walking towards it like the mad 'scientist' he was. "Neutron I hate to break it to yah, but there's nothing there." I slowly walk over, uneasy about the fact that something I thought wasn't there could blow me to smithereens.

"Look closer Cindy! Look beyond the nothingness!" he says turning on a lamp. I see a sparkle of light reflect off of something "I think I saw something but it must be too small to see it now" I focus in closer and finally see something.

Jimmy hands me a magnifying glass "here."

I hold it up to the table and lo and behold there it was... it was a microscopic rotating satellite dish made of metal. "Let me guess it's the 'devise'" I say studying it more.

"No, but it is a devise. It's the same holographic projector that projects the image into your mind, but it is designed to only turn on when I sleep and if I never sleep, my image is preprogrammed into the devise so I'm always there."

I smile "shows how much you know, Nerdbrain, that obviously would set forth conflict! Somewhere along the line you and the clone would cross paths and thus maybe some sort of paradox would occur."

Jimmy shakes his head again "No, I thought of that, then eventually resolved the problem with some fiddling of the wires and a chip that will automatically switch off the clone when i start to sleep." he says picking it up with some tweezers and holding it like it was a priceless gem, which it was. It is so valuble yet it didn't cost him a thing except time and patience. I sigh and look up at him "Jimmy, I just want to say thanks..." I say.

He smiles "for what Cindy?" he looks at me. I step closer "for all of this, all that you gave me... even though it got screwy somewhere along the line... it just show me that you really care for me. And that is really... well really nice of you" I smile and kiss him on the cheek. He blushes and coughs "yes, well. You're welcome Cindy." he says scratching the back of his head.

"So when are you going to implant the devise?" I ask looking at it some more. "Not for a while, I have to run more tests do a couple of trials... I'm going to need a lot more time before this starts." he says.

I sigh "okay..." he looks over at me, "so what were you going to talk to me about?" he asks. I walk over to the chair and sit down "well it's about my dreams." I say.

"Oh so it's on a related topic" he sits down on his master chair. "Go on."

"Okay, so I've been having these dreams" I say. "Of the island" I stop again and breathe "and they're more like nightmares because you're there"- "thanks" "NO! But you're not! You're there but you're still, and quiet and don't say anything and you just stare. And you were cold and lifeless. And I was scared. And when I got scared a giant storm would come and take you away from me." I finish, a tear falling from my eye.

He sits there in contemplation "So, there already was a clone in the program?" he asks. I shrug "I guess so, but it wasn't you" I say. He nods "I'm starting to see how I created these, there are already bodies, that are us, but only when we sleep do we inhabit them. This will completely change the way the new one is built!" he says jumping up and running over to his table.

I follow him "but, Jimmy, what about the storm? It took you away... and Nathan, he took Nathan away too, and our house!" I beg. He waves me off "it was probably just a technical glitch, it should go away in a few days" he says fiddling with the devise under a microscope.

I sigh "But Jimmy, it took you a"- "Yeah, yeah 'it took me away', and I heard you the first time vortex! I have work I have to do now, please leave the exit is to your left." he quickly finishes.

I tighten my fists "why you..." I mumble "Fine!" I cry out "I don't need you!" I storm out of his damn forsaken lab.

I don't need him that no good, goody two shoes, science consumed JERK! I don't need anybody.


	17. A Dream Come True

(A/N: 50 REVIEWS!! Woot! This goes out to all my beautiful reviewers!! This chapter is going to be all dreams yo! OOPS I GAVE IT AWAY!! OOPS NOW YOU KNOW THAT WAS A GIVE AWAY!! OOPS!! NOW I'M JUST MAKING IT WORSE! Okay bye.)

I wake up in my crisp white sheets... "Alright Cindy, just don't get scared and nothing will happen." I reassure myself. It is still dark so I didn't dare look down next to me; unable to fall asleep I step back onto the cold bare floor and walk out the door.

I look around in the hallway then spot myself in the mirror "whoa, I'm definitely old" I say. I think for a second... "I'm in a lucid dream... I have to be or else I would not be surprised by this." I say.

"Mom, are you sleep walking?" I hear, I turn around and see my 15 year old son stepping out of his room and rubbing his eyes. I smile "No dear, I'm dreaming!" I smile. He looks at me awkwardly, "okay... so you've gone crazy now, I'm going to go get dad" he says walking towards our bedroom. I feel some stress building up "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me dear!" I say and wander into our kitchen. It's still high-tech thanks to the genius that lives here.

I open the fridge and take out the carton of orange juice "Mom, will you come here a second?" Nathan calls out. I tense up, come on Cindy, I know you can do this don't get scared... it's for the sake of Nathan and Jimmy. I breathe deeply and take a swig from the juice then set it on the counter.

I walk down the hallway, and slowly go into our dark bedroom. "Mom, Dad's freaking me out... do you know what's up with him?" Nathan asks me. I look down at Jimmy's resting body, his eyes are wide open and he's just staring at the wall. I walk over to Nathan and grab his arm. "Nathan why don't we leave daddy alone for a while" I tell him as we exit the room.

I slowly close the door and turn back around. "Mom, what's going on?" he asks me as I join him in the kitchen. I pull on my robe "honey, your father isn't acting himself lately. He's just been a little, under the weather." I say.

He frowns "it's the same as last night!" he says. I look at him "what do you mean last night?" I ask him. He looks at me "you know this is all a dream right? Or are you and dad still up... _doing things_." he asks me wincing. I stare at him "that is absurd, I'm only 17! Why would I be doing _things_ with Nerdbrain!!" I ask him... he just laughs "hah! Nerdbrain, that's classic mom!"

"Classic, mom... Nathan? Nathan, are you real?" I ask him setting down the bread I was going to put in the toaster. He nods slowly "yeah, I'm real. You know dad created a devise in the past that when you guys grew up and had me, he put it on me so I could be with you guys in this home away from home!" he finishes taking a bite from an apple. I nod "so this whole time, you've been real? And last night when the wind took you away"

– "The wind took you away mom" he interrupts. I shake my head "no it took you away..." he shakes his head too "no it didn't" I put my hand on my temple "This creates so many time paradoxes, it isn't funny" I exclaim.

"Wait! If you are from the future and I am from the past, why isn't your mom from the future here, and where's your dad?" I ask him. He smiles "well, really your Jimmy – my dad from the past – just came to the future and gave this to me for one night so it would distract you." he smiles.

I look around "wait this is a distraction?" I ask stepping back. "Distraction, diversion, which ever you prefer." he say. I look at him confused "what am I being distracted from?" I ask. He stands there and looks behind me "this"

I turn around and suddenly it gets dark around me, I feel around. Great, I'm in a burlap sack. "REAL ORIGINAL NEUTRON!" I yell to who ever caught me. "Get over it you big baby" he replies. I feel someone tug on the bag and I follow them like a prisoner. I here cheering suddenly, I thought this place was secluded!

Then I'm walking in the sand and I hear giant explosions above me. Then it gets bright as Jimmy pull the sack off. I see Sheen, Libby, Carl, Jimmy's mom and dad, my mom and dad, and Nathan. I turn around and look down at Jimmy sitting on his right knee.

"Cynthia Aurora Vortex, will you marry me?"


	18. My Perfect Universe

I look down at him and then down at the ring "of course, Jimmy, I don't know what to say... this is so sudden." I say, I am _seventeen_, and this is a serious change in pace, I mean what if it doesn't work out! Marriage is a big step. It was about five days ago we had to get black mailed to get along! Jimmy stands up and sighs "you don't want to get married?" he asks, the rest of the group behind us goes silent.

I look into his giant blue eyes, then at the ocean, then at him. Do I really want to jeopardize my life with this? This will change the rest of my life; I still have 3 weeks of school left, then college. I'll be at Yale, he'll be at Harvard- speaking of school what will the rest of the girls think of me, marrying Jimmy, they'd freak if I just talked to him... but marriage?

Wait, am I pregnant?

No... He wouldn't marry me just because I'm pregnant... or would he? That fiend. THAT RASCAL! I aught a kill him where he stands-

"CINDY!!" I snap out of my thoughts. Jimmy looks at me "will you stop making faces and answer me already!?" he asks. I laugh, oops, I was making faces.

"I said yes, didn't I?" I smile and wrap my arms around him. I feel his shoulders drop from his huge sigh of relief as he tightens his embrace. "You don't know how much that means to me Cindy." he says. More fireworks go off overhead as we stand in that tight embrace. "Cindy, I'm so proud of you!" my mom cries. I look over at them and Libby runs up to me.

"Girl, I can't believe you're getting married!! This is so exciting!" she squeals. I look over at Jimmy who is receiving praise from Sheen and Carl. "I know, I can't believe it either," I sigh. Nathan walks over to me "hey mom, I just wanted to say congrats." he says. I smile "thanks Nathan, it means a lot." I sniffle. "Mom, don't be scared, or the storm'll come! This is a decision you won't regret, I assure you" he says.

I smile "okay Nate" he waves bye and walks back to the festivities, Libby turns to me "Ooh girl, is that your son?" she says. I smile "sure is, Nathanial Patrick Neutron," I say. How'd I know that? Libby smiles "you picked some good genes girl, 'cause that boy is lookin' fine in those!" she says.

"Wish I could agree with you Libby but that would be creepy." I say and she walks away as Jimmy comes up. "Cindy, hey" he says. I smile "hi Jimmy" I say taking his hand "Jimmy you don't think we're making a mistake do you?" I ask him impulsively. He smiles "no, don't worry, it may seem like a huge step, but really it isn't" he says. I question his logic. "Cindy, we've been together this whole, the whole time I've known you I've spent my life with you Cindy, in these dreams! And I want to make this dream a reality, I want us to spend our lives together." he finishes.

I wipe away the tear that comes to my eye "Jimmy, I love, you" I stutter. He smiles too, "good, now, wake up Cindy."

L7L7L7L7

I shoot up in bed and look around the pink themed bedroom. The door is closed and it's still dark, "was it all just a dream?" I ask to nobody. Suddenly I hear a noise and look at the window "it's open" I notice.

I get up and walk over to it, I look outside to the house across the street, I look down at my hands... and there it is. The diamond engagement ring, that Jimmy gave me in my dream, how'd it get on my-

"Surprise" I here a small voice say next to me. I turn around at an empty room. "Who said that?" I ask. "I did" I hear, I turn around and there is Jimmy in the windowsill. "Jimmy?" I say. I walk over to him and smile "Jimmy, we, we're getting married!" I say softly.

He nods "yep". I nod too, "we're getting married" I say happier tears streaming down my face. "We're getting married" he says coolly. I wrap my arms around him and cry gently on his shoulder "we're getting married" I say softer... getting more and more tired.


	19. Epilogue

I wake up in those same damn white sheets. When will this end?

I look around, it's still dark, just the moon lights the crevasses in our room. Looking down at Jimmy I gasp, he is laying there, asleep...

Could it be? Could this damn thing be finally over!! I won't have to go through this again! I look down at my stomach; Nathan must just have been conceived because I see a tiny lump. Lord only knows how I could lose him...

I shake Jimmy's shoulder and he yawns slowly waking up. He glances over at me and genuinely smiles. "Hey Cyn, how's the baby?" he asks rubbing my belly. I sigh relieved and lean down and kiss him sweetly on the lips. "He's doing better now that you're here." I say laying back down.

Jimmy turns toward me and rests his hand on his palm "oh really? Having a rough night's sleep?" he asks me. I rest my head on my palm too "you could say that I just passed through some rough weather." I kiss him on the nose.

He smiles and yawns one last time "well babe it's five in the morning, you want to go back to bed or go take a romantic stroll along the beach?" he asks sitting back up. But I pull him back down beside me "I just... I just want to stay here with you" I say resting my head on his chest. He nods silently.

And here we are Jimmy and I (and Nathan), lying down in our bungalow themed room in our new apartment in New Jersey... and I couldn't be happier.

THE END!!


End file.
